The Map Talked Back
by Lara Hillins
Summary: Everyone has speculated on how the Twins discovered the map, but really it was all down to a happy accident and some chattering insult throwers.


"We are Fred and George Weasley, now why was a parchment like you locked in Filch's filing cabinet?" Fred asked, tapping his wand on the page as he wondered how to discover the secrets of the old parchment, chatting to his twin.

"Like asking a parchment why it was..." George was sniping back but broke off staring at the parchment as writing appeared on it.

'_Messer Padfoot wonders who would investigate something with a brother and whether they do everything with each other.'_

'_Messer Prongs would like to add that if they are brothers that could make a lot of things awkward.'_

'_Messer Wormtail would like to wonder how siblings can be friends without constantly arguing and ask which on announced them.'_

'_Messer Moony thinks their hair is too violent and that is all.'_

George exchanged a look with Fred, whose wand still touched the page, then glanced back at the writing, before touching his own wand to it. "You have nowhere to keep a brain and that seemed like 4 independent personalities, pre-programmed, dark magic, or clever enchantments to make an insulting parchment, which are you?"

'_Messer Padfoot suspects George Weasley of being an idiot if he thinks dark magic would only be insulting.'_

'_Messer Moony wonders at how low teaching standards have gotten if they suspect something like us could be anything less than clever enchantments.'_

'_Messer Prongs despairs for the poor boys mother for having such fools for sons.'_

'_Messer Wormtail is astounded they even managed to nab anything of Filch being such dunces.'_

"Okay, okay, we get it." Fred grumbled. "We're only second years, and Mum already despairs for us enough, since we aren't interested in much past pranking and making people laugh."

"Yeah, don't need a parchment calling us idiots too thanks, but you're right about teaching standards, between Snape and Binns we are amazed we know how to make anything or any of our past." George agreed, both of them still holding their wands to the parchment.

'_Messer Wormtail has to express pure shock that Snivellus is a professor.'_

'_Messer Padfoot must cheer Binns on for refusing to accept his dead still.'_

'_Messer Prongs wishes to offer instruction to the pranksters reading this.'_

'_Messer Moony agrees and suggests they make a solemn promise stating what they are up to.'_

The twins laughed at the comments about their teachers but paused to think after reading the comments from Prongs and Moony, removing his wand from the page. "Forge, what is it we're up too currently?" He asked, thinking of mundane things it could be, as George copied him in taking his wand from the parchment.

"Mum always says we're up to no good." George commented, wondering if talking to an enchanted parchment counted as no good.

"Let's try that first then, speaking together?" Fred suggested, waiting for George's nod before the simultaneously replaced their wands on the page.

"We solemnly swear we are up to no good." They intoned, watching the parchment eagerly for any changes, letting out small cheers when the writing they had been looking at bled out and increased to form a map, titled the Marauders Map, apparently proudly presented by the four voices they had sort of chatted with.

A speech bubble appeared in the Great Hall, they noticed as they figured out the map was of Hogwarts and had names moving around it. '_Messer Prongs welcomes you to our map and suggests if you want any prank ideas you state the name of who you want and ask the map for assistance and who against.'_

'_Messer Moony will add however that constantly targeting one individual is bad for getting girls so do include variety in whom you prank.'_

'_Messer Prongs wishes you enjoy studying and working with our creation but points out Minerva is headed your way.' _The names of the twins and their head of house were suddenly in bold print as if to highlight the necessity of hiding the map.

'_Messer Wormtail suggests you conclude your mischief now and state it in two words to be set as the phrase you and your friends will use to deactivate it from now on.'_

The twins beamed at each other, wands still touching the parchment. "Mischief Managed!" They echoed, with George whipping the page out of sight just in time for their head of house to come around the corner, glaring suspiciously at them.

"What have you two done now?" She demanded, but sighed as the boys just stared innocently at her. "Whatever it is better not disrupt classes too much!" she snapped before leaving the silent boys to continue her rounds.


End file.
